100 Million Mask Challenge - Hospitals and Health Systems
Hospitals and Health Systems
Thank you for the incredible work you are doing to care for our communities during this crisis. We are hearing from manufacturers and other members of the business community that they want to offer their assistance and help in keeping frontline health care workers safe.
Purchase/Procure PPE
Project95
Intelligent Matching through the Marketplace: For institutions with funding that are able to meet minimum order quantities and payment terms, Project N95 matches them with suppliers who best suit their needs based on product availability, delivery lead times, and order quantity. An electronically managed, reverse auction site, the Marketplace allows suppliers to bid for requests sent in from anonymous, qualified buyers. Project N95 facilitates the transaction between buyer and seller end-to-end.
Aggregation for Smaller Quantity Orders: Intended to help resolve issues of inequitable access, this function opens up the market to smaller healthcare organizations that would otherwise have no ability to purchase PPE in the quantities they can afford. To keep costs low, provide accountability and transparency, and manage distribution, Project N95 facilitates group purchases for organizations seeking to buy PPE, enabling them to order in small quantities, down to a single box of equipment.
For more information, visit https://www.projectn95.org/.
Healthequip
HealthEquip, the leading app to speed donated PPE to healthcare organizations, now enables the procurement of PPE from trusted sources in the HealthEquip marketplace.
This marketplace is the first of its kind to provide seller storefronts, managed finance flows, ability to keep and update pricing and inventory information and have a shopping cart experience, all with designed-in consideration for FDA and CDC/NIOSH certification requirements. It is available to currently registered hospitals and open to buyers from other segments. See the full press release here.
For more information, visit https://www.healthequip.com/.
Constellis
Centerra (a Constellis company), with its partner has an exclusive distribution agreement with a global manufacturer, designer, and distributor of medical products. PPE shortages are currently posing a tremendous challenge to the First Responder and United States healthcare system because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically in response to COVID-19, we provide critical PPE and supplies for use by emergency management and healthcare professionals to protect themselves, patients, and others when providing care.
See PDF for more information on available PPE. Request a quote.
GovShop
GovShop is working with AHRMM, National Governor's Association and the Department of Defense to provide the most comprehensive catalog of products and services for Covid-19. Buyers can search for vetted suppliers and also access pre-negotiated agreements with best in class pricing. Suppliers can register and claim their profiles to provide robust information on their capabilities. Visit GovShop.
Non-Traditional Suppliers Offering PPE and Other Critical Supplies
AHA, through The Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) is vetting non-traditional suppliers that are offering PPE supplies throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This process is being done in collaboration with GHX and uses the same tools, expertise and processes leveraged by its Vendormate solution that has been a trusted source of information to credential new vendors for more than 15 years. See more information and a list of these suppliers and their products.
Donate PPE/Access Donated PPE
HealthEquip is a smart app that will match individuals and organizations donating PPE with local hospitals and health systems based on needs-criteria. The app also will track PPE donations and manage shipping through UPS to your hospital. To register and begin submitting requests for PPE, please visit www.healthequip.com. In addition, please view this video guide and frequently asked questions document for more information.
Partner Resources
Working with Manufacturers in Your Community
We encourage all of our hospitals and health systems to partner and coordinate with businesses in your communities that may have the equipment and ability to help produce much-needed personal protective equipment. While every relationship will be different, we urge you to think creatively and offer the following information to help guide your efforts.
Dynamic Ventilator Reserve Program
The Dynamic Ventilator Reserve is a public-private partnership between the American Hospital Association, the White House, FEMA, and leading group purchasing organizations. This program brings together health systems from across the country to contribute a portion of their ventilator fleets to share with hospitals experiencing shortages. If you’re a hospital or health system and have available ventilators to donate or want additional information, please visit the Dynamic Ventilator Reserve webpage.
Best Practices (PPE Information and Guidelines)
What We’re Seeing in the Field
The American Hospital Association and our partners continue to work to make sure that every health care provider can have access to much-need personal protective equipment (PPE) especially during this health care crisis. Information, policies, procedures and best practices around PPE are evolving quickly as the overall situation evolves. Here is a quick review of what we’re seeing in the field today with links, as available, for more information.
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The CDC, NIOSH, the FDA and OSHA all provide resources regarding PPEs online. The CDC has issued new strategies to optimize the supply of PPE, and information on decontamination and reuse of filtering facepiece respirators. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also issued guidance on extended use and limited reuse of N95 respirators. The FDA has issued a new guidance document regarding the enforcement policy for face masks and respirators during the crisis, and is continuing to monitor and update to address needs in the health care field. OSHA has expanded temporary guidance for respirator fit-testing.
PPE manufacturers, distributors and other health care industry partners provide resources related to PPE during this crisis.
- 3M PPE Considerations shares resources comparing masks and alternatives.
- stockd shares guidelines, alternative production methodologies and covid-19 testing resources on their coronavirus update page.
- ECRI offers a covid-19 resource page including information related to PPE equivalents, disinfecting N95 masks, and practical guidance on the potential risks and benefits to consider regarding N95 use and reuse.
Resources on Masking Effectiveness
- American Society For Microbiology: Effectiveness of Face Masks in Preventing Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Scientific Brief: Community Use of Cloth Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2
- Live Science: Visualization Shows Exactly How Face Masks Stop COVID-19 Transmission
- Springer Link: Masks Do More Than Protect Others During COVID-19: Reducing the Inoculum of SARS-CoV-2 to Protect the Wearer
- University of California San Francisco: Still Confused About Masks? Here’s the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus
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As the health care industry works to adapt and adjust to the shortages of PPE, many organizations are exploring different avenues for decontamination.
Duke Health: Decontamination of N95 masks to help relieve shortage
To help address the critical shortage of N95 masks, Duke Health researchers and clinical teams confirmed that N95 masks can be decontaminated for reuse without degrading the quality of the masks. The teams used existing decontamination methods utilizing vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Local news shared the story.
Nebraska Medicine: Decontamination of N95 masks using UV
Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center use ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to surface decontaminate N95 masks. Detailed documentation and key points are available online. They also share exact specifications and processes used. National news shared the story.
Battelle CCDS Critical Care Decontamination SystemTM Decontamination of N95 masks
Battelle’s system can decontaminate thousands of N95 masks per day using concentrated vapor phase hydrogen peroxide, without degrading N95 performance. The American Hospital Association released a product advisory with more information. Battelle provides detail documentation available for facilities and health care providers.
Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP) STERRAD® Systems Decontamination of N95 masks
ASP’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response page shares information related to PPE reprocessing including instructions, a customer fact sheet, and items to consider. Online news carried the story.
STERIS Healthcare Decontamination Solutions for compatible N95 or N95-equivalent Respirators
STERIS has received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA to temporarily provide an option to decontaminate compatible N95 or N95-equivalent respirators up to ten times. Instructions for healthcare facilities and healthcare personnel and other documentation are available online.
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As the health care industry works to adapt and adjust to shortages of PPE, many organizations have adopted different strategies for reusing PPE. While it is important to recognize viable techniques for reuse, it is equally important to know what does NOT work. We share information on both below.
University of Washington: COVID-19 resource site
University of Washington made comprehensive policies and procedures available publicly online. Included are PPE guidelines for limited reuse.
Stanford Medicine: Report works to answer COVID-19 questions with evidence.
The current, evidence-based answer provided is to NOT use anything in your home to attempt to sterilize or sanitize N95 masks or other PPE. Stanford Medicine's detailed report (not peer-reviewed) shares the evidence gathered regarding the general efficiency of the filtration following disinfection. This does not specifically look at effectiveness against COVID-19. The commentary includes reference to research from prior studies with different viruses.
CDC’s strategies to optimize personal protective equipment (PPE) is a quick reference that summarizes CDC’s strategies to optimize PPE supplies in healthcare settings and provides links to CDC’s guidance documents on optimizing supplies. These strategies offer a continuum of options using the framework of surge capacity when PPE supplies are stressed, running low, or absent. When using these strategies, healthcare facilities should:
- Consider these options and implement them sequentially
- Understand their current PPE inventory, supply chain, and utilization rate
- Train healthcare personnel on PPE use and have them demonstrate competency with putting on and taking off any PPE ensemble that is used to perform job responsibilities
- Once PPE availability returns to normal, promptly resume conventional practices
Please visit Summary for Healthcare Facilities: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE during Shortages | CDC for more information.
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Oregon Health & Science University works to be transparent with staff about supplies and needs with updates posted daily and shared at huddles with all staff. Researchers have mapped out the covid-19 trajectory and aligned it with OHSU’s PPE supply to ensure they can meet the increased needs. OHSU also has a public-facing resource site.
Atlantic Health System implemented a UV sterilization process to prolong the life of N95 respirators and shared this process map detailing the path from clinician through delivery to cleaning. Atlantic Health also offers a public-facing COVID-19 resource site.
Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) advises on methods to reduce transmission of coronavirus in this press release. HLAC board members also advise that health care organizations work closely with Infection Prevention teams when considering PPE sanitization, sterilization, reuse, or using PPE from new sources and partnerships. They also recommend that organizations keep linens, scrubs and other textiles in the system for laundering; do not take home, and to work with laundry partners to help manage supplies and needs. Local news in New York featured an HLAC accredited facility and what they do to help reduce virus transmission.
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Atrium Health
Billings Clinic
Medical University of South Carolina
Providence/Kaas
Stockd
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FDA
Medtronic
- Medtronic PB560 Ventilator System Design Specifications
- FDA Guidance to Expand Availability of Ventilators to Address COVID-19
New York Presbyterian
Providence/Kaas
Stockd
Windy City Plastics
In addition to those listed above there are many additional resources available for those interested in helping to create much needed PPE.
For hospitals and health systems interested in connecting with community mask makers consider these steps.
Discounts for Health Care Workers
As the women and men in America’s hospitals and health systems began the fight against COVID-19 on behalf of their patients and communities, a number of companies offered discounts to these front-line health care workers. The American Hospital Association (AHA) connected health care teams with discounts and offers to make these unprecedented times a bit more manageable. Thank you to the many businesses both large and small for supporting health care workers.
Please read and review the information provided on this website before reaching out due to the large volume of inquiries. If you still have questions please call 800-424-4301 or click on the link below to fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as we are able.Thank you!
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of the specifications and guidance provided above (the Information). The Information was obtained from hospitals, health systems and other third parties, and was not developed by the AHA. The AHA is providing the Information for informational purposes and has not independently, tested, confirmed or verified the Information. Any use of the Information is at the user’s own risk. The AHA is not a health care provider, and it does not actively monitor or approve any Information on this site and are not responsible or liable for verifying the accuracy of the Information. The AHA provides this Information and these materials on an “as is” basis, with no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, including with respect to accuracy, completeness, quality, non-infringement, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. AHA and its affiliates, will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of, or reliance on, any Information made available to you by AHA.